Mute for brass wind and like musical instruments



Sept. 16, 1930. DAVE, 1,776,216

MUTE FOR BRASS WIND AND'LIKE IUS'ICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Feb. 25, 1927 [agar ag s;

ATTU/PNE) Patented Sept. 16, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE;

LEWIS'DAVIS, 0F MAIDAITALE, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OI ONE-HALF TO BOOSEY &: COMPANY LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND MUTE roa muss wmn AND LIKE MUSICAL ms'rnumnn'rs Application filed February 25, 1927, Serial 1W0. 171,031, and in Great Britain December 10, 1988.

This invention relates to an improved mute for use with trumpets, trombones, cornets and other wind musical instruments and provides an improvedconstruction of mute intended to be held wholly or partly within the bell of the instrument.

According to this invention, the improved mute comprises a hollow tubular stem, preferably tapered, having ribs or strips of cork or other suitable material secured on the outside thereof, for example, by a cement or by rivets, the being arranged substantially in the longitudinal direction of the tubular stem to which they are aflixed, so as to act by their resiliency wedgewise against the interior wall ofthe bell of the instrument to support the mute-therein in the desired position, the smaller end of the said stem, inthe case of, a tapered hollow stem, being preferably inserted foremost into the bell of the instrument in which it is to be supported. At its larger or outer end, the stem'supports a disc, plate or cone or the like which when the mute is in use almost entirely obturates the open mouth of the bell of the instrument. The said disc or like part may be supported slightly within the rim of the bell or it ma be entirely outside the same and held at a short distance from the rim thereof so that in either case a narrow annular thoroughfare is left between the said disc and the interior wall of the hell or the rim as the case may be, the passage or passages extending longitudinally between the stem andthe bell, terminating in this narrow annular thoroughfare. The larger or outer end of the hollow stem, instead of being closed by a disc or plate can open into a chamber formed within conical or curved walls provided in place of the disc or plate and supported by the said stem. In a preferred construction a hollow cone or conical wall is supported within a second hollow cone having a smaller apex angle, the two conical parts being united around their basal edges and the stem extending axially out from the interior of the inner conical part. .The stem is in this case in open commumcatlon w1th the chamber provided parts." a

The improved mute is preferably made of metal, for example, a light metal such as aluminium or it can be made of wood veneer, indurated; fibre or the like.

In the accompanying drawin I a Figure 1 is a side view in e evation of a mute constructed in accordance with this invention. I I Figure 2 shows the same; in central sec tion. 7

Figure 3 is a plan view thereof." Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating a modified constructional form a of the mute.

As shown in Figures-1, 2 and 3, the improved mute comprises a hollow cone ai'and a substantially conical part b arranged within the cone a,- t-hese two parts-being united around: their basal edges. Extending outwardly from within the inner conical part b a" stem 0 is provided of tapering tubular form, the walls of the stem, as shown in Figure 2 being continuous with the wall forming the inner conical part b which merges gradually into the stem. Thewall of the between the said conical part b may be truly conical or it may be slightly curved in cross section; The conical part b and the hollow tapered stem 0 can be formed integrally by spinning, and strips d of cork, felt or the like are secured to the stem at convenient parts by a suitable cement or by means of rivets; The two cones are united V are ofa proximately the samediameter, by means 0 a soldered, welded, beaded, or other appropriate joint. Y c

The mute is supported withinthe bell of the instrument by inserting the stem c so that the cork or' likev strips (1 thereon-are frictionally held within the bell leaving'sound around their basal edges which A passages'between the wall of the bell and the low stem is then directed towards the interior of the instrument, and thus a sound track is provided extending through the hollow stem into the space enclosed between the two cones or conical walls a, b. If desired, the apex of the outer cone can be enlarged into a bulbous form which facilitates grasping the mute when it is desired to remove it from the bell of a trumpet inwhich it is held by the stripsd.

In the modified arrangement illustrated in Figure 4c, the stem 0 supports a disc or plate 6 in placeiof the chamber enclosed by the concial parts a, b. Thesaid disc is secured to the stem by soldered, brazed or like joint. Theredge or rim of the disc or plate c is adapted to almost entirely close the bellofan instrument inwhich the'mute is inserted, so that only'a narrow annular thoroughfare is left between this edge or rim and the inner 7 wall or the rim of thebell' accordingly as the diameter of the disc or plate is smaller or larger than that of thebell';

A covering. ofisuitable non-resonant material, such as an india rubber ring or washer f may be provided aroundthe basal edges of the conical partsa, or disc 0.

Iclaim: v V

1. A device of the: character described, comprising a tubular stem for'insertion in the mouth of a wind musical instrument, a frustosco nical sound reflecting member extending radially and outwardly from the said stem, and a closure for one end of the said stem, said closure being fixedly mounted to form with the tubular stem a chamberof fixed dimensions. 1

" 2. A device of the character described, comprising a tubular stem for insertion in the mouth of a wind musical instrument, a frustoconioal sound reflecting member extending radially and outwardly from the said stem, and a cone forming a closure for one end of the tubular stem and forming with said stem a chamber of fixed dimensions, andthe frusto-conical sound reflecting surface being arranged within its basal edge 3. A device of the character described,

the tubular stem a chamber of constant volume.

75. A device of the character described, comprising a'tubular stem for insertion in the mouth of a Wind musical instrument, a frusto-conical sound reflecting member extending radially and outwardly from the said stem, a conical closure forthe end of the said stem and a bulbous enlargement at the apex of the said conical closure'to serve 7 A mute for musical instruments comprising an imperforatedrcone, a bulbous enlargement at the apex of said cone to serve as a gripping portion of said device, an imperforated frusto conical annulus 1 lodged within said cone, said cone and frusto-conical annulus beingunited at their basal edges, a ring of non-resonant material covering the said united edges, a tubular stem extending axially outwardly from and formed'integrally with said conical annulus,

ribs on said stem for supporting it within the bell of an instrument and a deflector formedby said conical annulus to deflect sound waves emitted between said stem and the bell of the instrument. 7 V v LEW'IS DAVISQ comprisinga tubular stem forinsertion in the mouth of a "wind musical instrument, a

frusto-conical sound deflecting "member extending radially and outwardly from the said stem, and a cone forming closure for the tubularistem attached around its basal edge'to the outer edge of the said frust-oconical member and forming with the tubular stem a chamber of constant volume.

' l 4. A device of 'the character described, i

comprisinga tubular stem for insertion in the mouth of a wind muslcalinstrument, a

frusto-conical sound reflecting member extending outwardly and radiallyfrom the said 7 stem, the wall of the stem merging into the said frustoconi'cal member and a closure for one end of the said stem which forms with 

